390 the turkic tribes
help through envoys who were received at the T’ang court on Nov.22,
- He did not “beg” to attack the Khitan, and a decree did not
“allow” it, but he aided the Chinese in a desparate situation in order
to gain benefits of his own. Of the two Khitan leaders, Li Chin-chung
had died and Sun Wan-jung continued the fight. Mo-ch’o invaded
their territory, captured their wives and children, and withdrew, no
doubt, with considerable loot. The Empress Wu expressed her thanks
by sending envoys to appoint Mo-ch’o as Specially Advanced, Hsieh-
tieh-li-shih Great Shan-yü, and Qaghan Who Has Established Merit
and Recompensed the State (Chiu T’ang shu 194A10b, 11a;Tung-tien
198:42b;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6510; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9b)
In the 1st month (Jan./Feb.) of 697, Mo-ch’o raided Chinese border
areas (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6512).
In 698, Mo-ch’o offered peace, proposed to be like a son to the
Empress Wu, and offered a daughter in marriage to an imperial
prince. He simultaneously returned kidnapped Chinese (Chiu T’ang
shu 194A:11a; T’ung-tien 198:42b; Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6509; Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 343:9b).^20
Mo-ch’o furthermore made himself the spokesman for the Turks
who had been settled in northern China by T’ai-tsung and demanded
on their behalf agricultural implements and seeds. This could lead to
a claim that these Turks were Mo-ch’o’s subjects and set a danger-
ous precedent. The Empress Wu initially rejected the request. But
she was afraid that she might be attacked and in the end agreed to
all demands. She accepted the peace offer, provided 40,000 bushels
of seed and 3000 agricultural implements, and selected a menber of
her own family, her grandnephew and king of Huai-yang, Wu Yen-
hsiu, as husband of Mo-ch’o’s daughter. The General-in-chief of the
Guards of the Leopard Bow-cases and Acting Master of the Ministry
of Rights, Yen Chih-wei, and the General of the Gentlemen of the
Guards of the Left and Acting Master of Guests,^21 T’ien Kuei-tao,
were ordered to escort Wu Yen-hsiu to Mo-ch’o’s court, appoint Mo-
ch’o General-in-chief of the Guards of the Left, and present him with
gold and silk (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:11a; T’ung-tien 198:42b; Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.6515; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:9b).^22
(^20) Tzu-chih t’ung-chien dates the reception of Mo-ch’o’s envoys 9th month (Octo-
ber) 696. 21
A variant of Herald.
(^22) Tzu-chih t’ung-chien dates the departure of this mission 3rd month (Mar./Apr.)